1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a joint connector in which a bus bar-containing holder having projected tab terminals is fitted in a housing to interconnect terminals provided in this housing, and more particularly to a construction in which the bus bar-containing holder, fitted in the housing, can be easily removed from the housing.
2. Related Art
A joint connector is used, for example, for connecting a main cable to a plurality of secondary branching wires.
One example of such a joint connector is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 1-73785 in which a bus bar-containing holder is received in a housing in such a manner that the former is not projected from the latter. The construction disclosed in this publication will now be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the conventional bus bar-containing holder, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the conventional housing.
As shown in FIG. 8, a bus bar-containing holder (holder) 1 has a bur bar 5 mounted thereon, the bus bar 5 having a plurality of tab terminals 3. The tab terminals 3 are integrally interconnected by a base portion (not shown) of the bus bar 5. Elastic arms 7 are formed on opposite ends of the holder 1, respectively, and each of the elastic arms 7 has a projection 9 formed on a side surface thereof.
As shown in FIG. 9, a housing 11 has holder receiving chambers 13, and the holder receiving chamber 13 has a plurality of terminal receiving chambers (not shown) each having a female terminal mounted therein. Holes 15 are formed respectively through opposite end walls of the holder receiving chamber 13, and extend to the exterior. The projections 9 on the holder 1 are engageable in the holes 15, respectively.
In the joint connector of this construction, when the holder 1 is inserted into the holder receiving chamber 13 in the housing 11, the elastic arms 7 are flexed to be received in the holder receiving chamber 13, and the projections 9 are resiliently fitted and engaged in the holes 15, respectively. At the same time, the tab terminals 3 of the holder 1 are fitted respectively in the female terminals (not shown) provided in the holder receiving chamber 13, thereby electrically connecting the female terminals together, thus completing the connection of the holder 1 to the housing 11.
In the connection-completed condition of the joint connector, the holder 1 is embedded in the housing 11 such that any portion is not projected from the housing. Therefore, the connected portions are in a compact condition, and also the withdrawal of the holder, which would occur upon contact of any projected portion with a foreign matter, is prevented.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the above joint connector in a fitted condition.
The joint connector in this connected condition has no projected portion, and therefore a withdrawing tool 17 having a pointed tip is used for releasing the fitting of the holder 1 in the housing 11.
When using the withdrawing tool 17, its tip is inserted into a gap between the inner periphery of the holder receiving chamber 13 and the holder 1, and the tool is forcibly turned back and forth and right and left to move the holder 1 relative to the housing 11, thereby gradually lifting the holder 1 to release the fitting.
However, when the fitting condition of the joint connector is to be released, the withdrawing tool 17 is inserted into the gap between the inner periphery of the holder receiving chamber 13 and the holder 1, and is forcibly turned. In this case, the force is divided into two directions x and y (see FIG. 11), and therefore the releasing efficiency is poor, and where the fitting force is high in the joint connector, there is a possibility that the holder 1 and the housing may be deformed. Further, when the withdrawing tool 17 is forcibly turned, a reaction force acts in a direction (the direction of acting of the force x) of the thickness of the inner wall (having a smaller strength) of the holder receiving chamber, and therefore the housing 11 is more liable to deformation.